David Lee Roth, Hager tour feud

One wonders how Eddie Van Halen lasted so many years. The guitarist's two former frontmen -- David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar -- dislike each other so much they needed walls constructed backstage to separate them during the recent concert tour together.

"Every night looked like a rap festival with all the police presence," the balding Roth said after presenting with Hagar at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards Thursday.

Roth and Hagar didn't appear backstage together, however.

Hagar said the concerts were great, the offstage moments weren't.

"All the stuff backstage got pretty ugly at times," Hagar said. "I had to sleep with my light on twice."

Roth played down the feud. "What's the worst a couple of rock stars can do -- a little slap-fighting?"

'Star Wars' fans religiously devoted

May the Force be with you. Amen.

More than 70,000 fans of the "Star Wars" movies have upset Australia's statistics agency by identifying their religion as "Jedi" during last year's national census.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics said Tuesday that 0.37 percent of the nation's population of 19 million, or 70,509 people, had written Jedi or a related response to an optional question about their faith when the head count was taken last August.

Jedi is a mystical faith followed by some of the central characters in the "Star Wars" films.

The prank began early last year when "Star Wars" fans circulated an e-mail across Australia saying the government would be forced to recognize Jedi as an official religion if at least 10,000 people named it on the census.

When made aware of the campaign, the statistics agency announced that respondents faced a fine of 1,000 Australian dollars ($540) if they were found to have given false information.

In a statement Tuesday on its Internet site, the agency did not say whether it would try to fine the Jedi faithful. But it warned that the Australian public ultimately paid the price for census-related pranks.

"If, for example, people of a particular religious affiliation do not provide the correct information, certain facilities might not be built that otherwise would be," the agency said.

The government uses data recorded in the national head count every five years to determine population levels and help in policymaking.

The bureau said the Jedi response has been categorized as "not defined" for census purposes. The criteria for recognizing a religion go "beyond the number of responses a particular answer receives in the census," it said.

This Was One Of The Most Fun Films Of 2002!

Some word today on the DVD release of Disney's Lilo and Stitch. The disc will street on 12/5, unfortunately only as a single-disc edition. There's no word yet on features, but a lot of special edition material was produced for the title. So the question is, will there be a more ultimate, 2-disc edition to follow? I surmise, yes!

Also in December, Disney is set to "disappear" several of their animated DVD releases, placing them on moratorium on 12/31. These include Peter Pan, Peter Pan: Return to Never Land, The Little Mermaid II, Beauty and the Beast: Platinum Edition (less than 90 days after its initial release) and Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas. So get them while they are hot!

Kelly Preston Puts on 'The Cat in the Hat'

Kelly Preston has landed the role of the mom in producer Brian Grazer’s live-action version of the classic children’s book “Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat.”

Production designer Bo Welch (“Men in Black”) will be making his directorial debut on the film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat” tells the story of Dr. Seuss, a mischievous feline in a striped stovepipe hat (played by Mike Myers) who enters the lives of young Conrad (Spencer Breslin) and his little sister, Sally (Dakota Fanning) while their parents are away and causes complete chaos in the house.

Myers, who's no stranger to being hidden under layers of makeup in such roles as Dr. Evil and Fat Bastard from the "Austin Powers" movies, will act beneath extensive prosthetics courtesy of makeup effects maestro Rick Baker, similar to what Jim Carrey did in "The Grinch."

Preston, who’ll next be appearing in Bruno Barreto’s “A View from the Top,” is currently finishing work on Jordan Brady’s “An American Girl.”

GOING DIGITAL

ABC and CBS on Wednesday announcing increased commitments to high-definition broadcasting in the upcoming fall season. ABC will air more than 13 hours of HD programming per week, while CBS will lead all networks with 27 hours.

STAKE OUT

Actress Eliza Dushku reprising her role as evil vampire slayer Faith in this season's last five episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and three episodes of the WB's Angel.

HOLIDAY TUNES

Coldplay, Jimmy Eat World and Sarah McLachlan with the Barenaked Ladies among the artists contributing tracks to Maybe This Christmas, an upcoming holiday collection of classic Christmas covers and originals due to hit record stores November 5.

IT'S BACK!

With Fox enjoying mega-success with American Idol, CBS executives ordering up nine episodes of an updated Star Search, the syndicated variety series that started it all. A new host is expected to replace original emcee Ed McMahon when it bows sometime in 2003.

Why Do These Shows Always Suck?!?

Eminem won four awards at the MTV Video Music Awards on Thursday, but it didn't put the rapper in a good mood — he found time to feud with his nemesis Moby, then ended up getting booed by the crowd.

It's down to two on "American Idol."

Nikki McKibbin, 23, from Grand Prairie, Texas, was the latest to get booted from the hit Fox talent show, in which the grand prize is a recording contract.

"What an incredible journey this has been," McKibbin wept moments after she was told the bad news.

"Just to know that so many people support me and enjoy what I do means so much. It's been worth it every step of the way. I couldn't ask for better fans or better exposure."

McKibbin drew the fewest viewer votes out of the millions cast this week.

With McKibbin gone, the stage is now set for next week's highly anticipated final showdown between Justin Guarini of Doylestown, Pa., and Kelly Clarkson of Burleson, Texas.

Guarini, 23, and Clarkson, 20, will square off next Tuesday night during a live performance. One of them will be revealed as the show's ultimate winner on Wednesday night.

"American Idol" is based on last year's British hit, "Pop Idol."

That show launched the singing career of winner William Young and helped land recording deals for a few of the show's other contestants.

"American Idol" - described as a cross of "Survivor" and "Star Search" - has drawn a combined total audience averaging about 11 million viewers since its debut in June.

Tuesday night's broadcast drew about 15 million viewers, the show's best ratings to date.

Rubin producing new Limp Bizkit album

Limp Bizkit didn't settle for less when picking the producer for their new album.

The band hired famed producer Rick Rubin to be at the controls for the new project, tentatively titled "Less Is More."

20 tracks have been recorded with Rubin, who most recently produced the Red Hot Chili Peppers' hit album "By The Way." The album is the follow-up to 2000's "Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water."

Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers is now sharing guitar duties with Fred Durst, following the departure of guitarist Wes Borland.

The band are targeting a late 2002 or early 2003 release date for the project.

SOME BIG FAT FLOPS

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is one of 2002's best films. It is also one of the year's best surprises.

With $63.3 million in the bank so far, the $5 million "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" has embarrassed some summer films with far bigger stars.

"The Adventures of Pluto Nash," an Eddie Murphy comedy that cost nearly $100 million, took in just $3.8 million during its first two weeks and is quickly disappearing off screens.

"K-19: The Widowmaker," an adventure starring Harrison Ford is another $100 million flop - its domestic take to date is a mere $34.2 million.

"Greek Wedding" has even topped a movie with a reported pricetag of $120 million: "Stuart Little 2," which had taken in a mousy $59.6 million through last weekend.

And this Labour Day long weekend could see the film finally take the Number One position at the box office. That would make it the first film to ever hit the top spot after 20 weeks in release.

Trust me, go see it! You will like it!

Will It Be Dr. Octopus?

It's just a rumor so far...but Sony and director Sam Raimi are said to be eyeing Stellan Skarsgard (Good Will Hunting, The Glass House), for the Role of Dr. Octopus in the Spider-Man sequel. He will apparently be the movie's only villian, though there will be an appearance by one Dr. Kurt Connors...just not as the Lizard.

John Cleese an Angel?

They've already started shooting the Charlie's Angels sequel, but tht doesn't mean they can't add Cast members. According to ComingSoon, John Cleese will be playing the father of Lucy Liu. She is apparantly a big fan, and it's reported that she asked for him personally.

FEEL THE FORCE

20th Century Fox's Star Wars: Episode II--Attack of the Clones surpassing $300 million in domestic box office Tuesday, its 104th day in release, to become the 13th highest-grossing film in domestic history, just behind 1996's Independence Day.

Foo Fighters announce track listing

The Foo Fighters have announced the track listing for their upcoming fourth album, entitled "One By One."

A band spokesperson revealed the album's songs to MTV, which are as follows:

"All My Life"
"Low"
"Have It All"
"Times Like These"
"Disenchanted Lullaby"
"Tired of You"
"Halo"
"Lonely as You"
"Overdrive"
"Burn Away"
"Come Back"

The new album, which comes out Oct. 22 in the U.S. and Canada, is the follow-up to 1999's "There Is Nothing Left To Lose." The first single is "All My Life."

The new record is said to have a harder rocking sound than their last few studio efforts.

Frontman Dave Grohl explained the energy behind the songs on the new album to MTV: "This album was all about the energy of playing live," he said. "There's songs on all of the last records that we never play live. They are kind of studio songs". "This album, we thought, 'F--- it man, I want this album to be like a set list, like a show.'"

"Every one of the songs I would play every night. And we recorded it in like two weeks, a really short period of time, so that the energy of the performance is a little more frenetic, just more energetic. That's what the songs deserved."

Grohl, who signed on last year to man the drums on the new Queens of the Stone Age album "Songs For The Deaf," (out Tuesday) recently took time off from the Foos to hit the road with the California rockers on a short tour.

Other Than The Foo Fighters, Several Artists Are Also Hopeful About Their Fall Albums

This fall looks to have plenty of blockbuster releases from some of music's biggest acts — on paper, that is.

Whether Whitney Houston, Justin Timberlake or Santana can match their previous multiplatinum efforts is among many question marks hovering over the recording industry.

"It's hard. Christina Aguilera has a new release — will that be big?" asks Mark Hogan, vice president of Trans World Entertainment, which owns the FYE! entertainment retail chain. "I don't know who it will be, but there always seems to be something that will come through that will surprise you."

Last year was filled with surprises, not all of them good. There were a number of disappointments or out-and-out flops from performers who had seemed surefire winners — Macy Gray, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney, to name a few.

The industry remains mired in a slump; album sales this summer are down about 10 percent from last summer.

"I think the trend continues to be one of double-digit decreases in the music business," Hogan said. "It's still a tough business situation."

The fourth quarter is the most lucrative for the record industry; it's when most major releases are doled out and most music buying occurs.

This year, among the albums eagerly anticipated by retailers are a greatest-hits disc from the Rolling Stones, containing four new tracks; Santana's follow-up to his Grammy-winning "Supernatural"; Faith Hill's follow-up to her multi-platinum 1999 "Breathe"; and a collection of Elvis Presley hits that some believe could be as successful as the multi-platinum "1" from the Beatles two years ago.

"These are records that will bring people to the record store who maybe haven't been to the record store in a long time," said Bill Willson, vice president and general manager of AOL Music.

Other watched-for albums include ones from Jay-Z, India.Arie, Beck, Missy Elliott, Steve Earle and Craig David.

With seven Grammy nominations this year and a platinum-selling debut album, India.Arie has become one of the proven sellers on whom retailers are pinning their hopes. The singer says she's not nervous about sales expectations for her Sept. 24 release, "Voyage to India."

"That's cool, because then they give a little bit more attention to it," she said.

Alex Pappademas, an associate editor at Spin, says the fact that India.Arie is releasing her sophomore album just months after garnering so much attention at the Grammys can only help her.

"I don't think it's ever too soon. Frankly I think most people wait too long," he says.

One artist who has waited a long time between album releases is Houston, whose last full studio album was 1998's "My Love is Your Love." It sold more than 1 million copies but was not as successful as her previous albums.

Since then, Arista Records has resigned Houston to a $100 million contract, but she has been criticized for erratic behavior and has had to combat rumors of drug use. She took aim at her critics on the new disc's first single, "Whatchulookinat," but the uptempo song was panned and poorly received on radio. The as-yet-untitled album, originally scheduled for September release, is now set for November.

"She's in danger of just becoming a tabloid figure, where what's going on with her life is eclipsing the music," says Pappademas.

Another Arista Records act, TLC, will also be tested when their disc is released in November. Their most dynamic member, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, was killed in a car crash in Honduras. The two remaining members, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozanda "Chilli" Thomas, have decided to go on as a duo. While some songs were recorded before Lopes died, the group is also working on new material.

"It's sad, really, but in a way, they're probably going to have to market that as a memorial tribute album to her, and I don't know if that's necessarily going to fly," says Pappademas.

Aguilera's new disc follows her enormously successful, self-titled debut in 1999. Since then, she has transformed herself from a wholesome teen-pop powerhouse to a sexier, edgier diva. Whether that will win new fans — or keep old ones — remains to be seen.

The as-yet untitled disc is set for release Oct. 29. The first single, described as a funky R&B song featuring rapper Redman, is titled "Dirrty."

"There's always a sense with these teen-pop people that they are very micromanaged," says Pappademas. "She seems like she's breaking out and doing controversial things ... (but) there's always the possibility of a backlash against her, like, she's trying to be something she's not."

Two other veterans of the fading teen-pop genre also are coming out with albums. Timberlake of 'N Sync and Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys are to release solo debuts by Thanksgiving.

Pappademas believes that Timberlake's may be the season's hottest seller.

"There's going to be a lot of attention paid to this, because of all the boy-band types he seems to be the who will break out."

The Show Is Tonight And It Will Start With Bruce Springsteen!

The 2002 MTV Video Music Awards will be given out tonight!

Price of Elton John Tickets? 38,000 Grasshoppers

A concert by pop star Elton John had music fans hopping in Canada's farming heartland as they braved a plague of grasshoppers in an unusual quest to win a pair of tickets.

"All I kept thinking is, is this enough?" Brandy Elliott told Reuters on Wednesday after winning a radio contest for the prized tickets by capturing 38,000 grasshoppers.

"I knew I was grossed out and, honestly, every night I went to bed all I could dream about was grasshoppers -- and just bags and bags of grasshoppers," she said.

Elliott was one of more than 100 Saskatchewan residents to respond to the contest launched by a popular Regina radio show.

The rules were simple: whoever collected the most grasshoppers over a two-day period, would win the two highly coveted tickets to see Elton John at a sold-out concert.

"When we first thought of this contest we thought, oh you know, we might get a few hundred, maybe even a thousand grasshoppers from people. She (Brandy) showed up with 38,000 grasshoppers which blew us away," said Buzz Elliot, a morning show host on Z99, the station that launched the bug-gathering gimmick.

Elliott rigged up five-foot nets made out of window bug-screens and plastic tubing. She then recruited her room-mate and some young nephews and nieces to ride in the back of a large pick-up truck and help with the harvest.

"We drove in the ditches and stirred up the grasshoppers and they all just flew into the nets," said Elliott.

Her team, over a 10-hour period, managed to stuff two large garbage bags, a big bucket and several old detergent containers full of the grasshoppers, which have plagued Canada's drought-stricken Prairie provinces this summer.

Saskatchewan, a province known for its vast fields of wheat, also has a reputation for vast, cyclical grasshopper invasions. The green and brown insects devour crops and have even been known to eat the paint off of barns.

"You can't walk through a park without being pelted by them, basically. We just thought we'd have some fun with it," said Elliot, who is also the music director at Z99.

"It was way beyond our expectations. It just goes to show you that people will do anything for Elton John tickets."

The British rocker will perform in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on Friday to an audience of about 13,000.

What The...!?!? Who the...!?!?

CBS is scouting for 'Real'-Life Beverly Hillbillies.

After A Record Breaking Summer Comes A Familiar Fall

The Fall movie season starts next week.

The Dixie Chicks Find Their Way Home

The country music industry has been in a quandary over what direction to head next -- well, they can find their answer in Home, the Dixie Chicks' new album.

The genre has been torn between traditional country (ie. O Brother Where Art Thou?) or new, pop-influenced, country (Faith Hill), which have both proved top sellers.

Now, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison and Martie Maguire have cut the perfect path.
They have not compromised and found a route down the middle, combining the best of both.

Recorded in a small Texas studio away from Nashville's influences and produced by the Chicks and Maines' father Lloyd Maines, Home is foremost a honest, from-the-heart record.

The Dixie Chicks have returned to their roots, which they so obviously love and admire, giving Home a more distinctive bluegrass mood than their previous two offerings. Robison and Maguire get to shine more than in the past and Maines stretches her vocals in new directions.

But this trio doesn't just respectfully revisit the old; they manage to give it a hip edge, making it "new country" without the baggage.

This is a musician's album, that still manages to welcome the average listener. Since the Chicks have earned superstar status, it's more likely radio will find a way to embrace Home.

* Long Time Gone (Darrell Scott): The first single is a perfect bridge between albums. It's as catchy as their previous hits, but introduces bluegrass and homey elements.

* Landslide (Stevie Nicks): Maines' voice was made for this remake and Robison's banjo makes the tune all Dixie Chick.

* Travelin' Soldier (Bruce Robison): Written by Emily's brother-in-law, this more acoustic song is particularly poignant in the post-Sept. 11 world.

* Truth #2 (Patty Griffin): Written by Griffin, an opening act on the Fly tour, this gutsy song grows on you with each listen.

* White Trash Wedding (Robison, Maguire, Maines): This silly little tune allows the Chicks and listeners to have fun.

* A Home (Maia Sharp, Randy Sharp): A stunner which explores the regret of a failed relationship and the empty home it has created.

* More Love (Tim O'Brien, Gary Nicholson): A more radio-friendly song from a bluegrass buddy.

* I Believe in Love (Maguire, Maines, Marty Stuart): This fantastic song has uplifting lyrics combined with haunting music.

* Tortured, Tangled Hearts (Maines, Maguire, Stuart): Bluegrass rules in this definite hit.

* Lil' Jack Slade (Robison, Maguire, Lloyd Maines, Teri Hendrix): An instrumental allowing Maguire and Robison to really strut their stuff. Named for Maines' son Jackson Slade.

* Godspeed (Sweet Dreams) (Radney Foster): This beautiful remake gets a power boost from Maines and Robison who are both in "mommy mode." And when you listen to it knowing Foster wrote it for his three-year-old son who was moving away, it will truly bring tears to your eyes.

* Top of the World (Griffin): Perhaps the Chicks' biggest departure -- it is emotional, but not as accessible as the rest of the CD.

Tom Cavanagh to Guest Star on 'Scrubs'

"Ed" star Tom Cavanagh and "Scrubs" lead Zach Braff bear a strong resemblance to one another. You could say they look enough alike to be brothers.

The producers of "Scrubs" must have thought so too, because Cavanagh will play Braff's older brother in an episode of the show this fall.

The Halloween-themed episode will air Thursday, Oct. 31. Cavanagh's character will pay a visit to J.D. (Braff) at the hospital where J.D. works as a second-year resident. Braff's TV family also includes John Ritter (ABC's "8 Simple Rules" ), who played J.D.'s dad in an episode last season.

Cavanagh returns for "Ed's" third season on Oct. 2, where Ed is presumably still pining for Carol Vessey (Julie Bowen) while insisting he's not.

Miller's 'Live' Is Over

After Friday, Aug. 30, "Dennis Miller Live" will live no more.

The nine-year-old HBO series ends its 215-episode run with a visit from actor Vince Vaughn. The "Swingers" star will discuss "Confidence" with Miller.

Each episode of the series opened with a monologue by Miller, a rant about the week's topic, a live chat with a guest, viewer call-ins and a wrap-up of the week's events. Past guests included celebrities like Jim Carrey, George Clooney, Tom Hanks and Jerry Seinfeld. The show also featured political figures like Bill Bradley, Joycelyn Elders and Ann Richards.

"Dennis Miller Live" was the first of what would be several HBO series to win an Emmy. The show has won five awards since its April 1994 debut.

Miller is looking toward the future now that "Live" is ending. "It's been a great run, and now I’m ready to try something new," he says.

The final episode airs on Friday, Aug. 30 on HBO at 11:30 p.m. ET, and in Canada at 9:30 EST on Tuesday, September 2nd.

ABC Greenlights A 'Romy and Michele's High School Reunion' Prequel

ABC has greenlit a two-hour TV movie prequel to the 1997 feature film "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion."

The project, tentatively "Romy and Michele: Behind the Velvet Rope," takes place in the early 1990s, before the events depicted in the feature, which starred Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow. The TV movie follows the best friends as they head to Hollywood after graduating from high school.

The picture could also serve as a backdoor pilot leading to a series.

Cast and shooting location are to be determined, though a premiere on ABC is likely sometime this coming TV season.

Senator to Seek Justice on 'Law & Order'

It's official. Retiring Republican Senator Fred Thompson is returning to acting this fall, playing a conservative district attorney on NBC's long-running series "Law & Order," producers said on Tuesday.

Thompson, 60, who announced earlier this year that he will leave the Senate when his term expires in January, will become the first member of Congress to appear as a TV show regular while still in office.

The 13th season of "Law & Order," currently the longest- running show on TV, premieres Oct. 2, with Thompson joining the cast as the newly elected New York City district attorney.

Thompson's character replaces interim D.A. Nora Lewin, played for two seasons by Dianne Wiest, who will not return to the show. She took over for Steven Hill, who had portrayed D.A. Adam Schiff since the series debut in 1990 and was the last original cast member to leave the series.

The election of Thompson's character is "definitely a reaction to 9/11," said Michael Chernuchin, an executive producer of the series. "His political leanings are a little more to the right than former D.A.s on the show. He is a 'strict constructionist.' That is, for him, the Constitution is what it says and it is nothing more."

Thompson also will appear occasionally on two spin-off series, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," according to Universal Television, a unit of Vivendi Universal .

The ripped-from-the-headlines drama about New York City police detectives and prosecutors ranked last season as the fifth-highest rated series on U.S. television. The show, from veteran producer Dick Wolf, has garnered a record 11 straight Emmy nominations as best drama series, winning the coveted award in 1997.

Thompson, who once said life in Washington made him "long for the sincerity and realism of Hollywood," announced in March he would not seek re-election this year because he "simply did not have the heart for another six-year term."

The Tennessee Republican, who previously served as a federal prosecutor and Senate Watergate counsel, won a special election to a two-year Senate term in 1994. He won a full six-year term in 1996.

Before his Senate career, Thompson appeared in more than a dozen Hollywood films, including "In the Line of Fire," "Die Hard 2" and "The Hunt for Red October."

Several lawmakers on Capitol Hill found fame on television before serving in Congress, including the late Sonny Bono, Fred Grandy, who played Gopher on "The Love Boat," and Ben Jones, who was Cooter on "The Dukes of Hazzard." And many incumbent politicians have made guest appearances on TV shows over the years.

Wanna Be In A Kevin Smith Movie?

I you have ever wanted to be in a movie with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, Kevin Smith wants to give you a chance.

The writer-director is recruiting extras (the speaking parts are already taken) for his movie "Jersey Girl" through his Web site, viewaskew.com.

Contenders must submit a photo, contact information and statistics (age, gender, height and weight) by Friday.

CD Sales Further Decline

Compact disc music sales decreased 7 percent during the first half of the year, a further indication that online music sharing sites are hurting the recording industry, a trade group said Monday.

The decline cost the industry $284 million in lost sales, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

The decline, measured by PricewaterhouseCoopers, compares with a 5.3 percent drop in CD shipments in the first half of 2001. The RIAA said the industry uses just-in-time delivery, so CD shipments are reliably indicative of actual sales.

Also Monday, the RIAA released a separate survey of Internet users' music habits, which found that most consumers between the ages of 12 and 54 bought fewer CDs as they downloaded more tracks.

Previous studies independent of the music industry have suggested that access to free music on the Web actually encourages consumers to experiment with new acts and buy more CDs.

"We find a striking connection between people who say they are downloading more and buying less," said Geoff Garin, the pollster for Peter D. Hart Research Associates, who conducted the random telephone survey of 860 consumers for the RIAA in May. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

Of consumers polled whose downloading increased during the last six months, 41 percent reported buying less music, compared with 19 percent who said they were purchasing more, he said.

Among those polled who said they were downloading the same amount as six months earlier, 25 percent said they purchased less music, compared with 13 percent who bought more, Garin said.

The survey also reported that 35 percent said they go straight to an Internet file sharing site whenever they hear an unfamiliar artist they like. Only 10 percent reported that they immediately buy the artist's album.

The poll did not provide information about consumer attitudes on other factors widely considered to be affecting CD sales, including the quality of new releases and the lack of easy-to-use online services from the major recording labels.

"I very strongly conclude that the ability to get music for free is an important factor and has an adverse effect on music purchasing. I would not argue that it is the one and only factor," Garin said.

Serena in U.S. Open Fashion Stir

World No. 1 Serena Williams created a fashion stir during her 6-2 6-3 first-round win Monday over fellow American Corina Morariu at the U.S. Open.

Stepping out onto the Arthur Ashe court in a short-legged, all-in-one, black leather-look, skin-tight outfit with pink wristbands and a diamond tiara, the younger Williams exposed her personality and whole lot more to the large opening day crowd.

While immediate reviews seemed split, the Williams family fashion critic and design student, Venus, gave her sibling the stamp of approval.

"She (Venus) really liked it," said Serena. "She said it was a great outfit. It is really fun and really exciting and very sexy ... I mean she just basically described me."

Two years ago, it was Venus who made a fashion statement at the Australian Open with a plunging, halter-top design that also revealed more of the American's charms than maybe was intended.

Serena acknowledged that her outfit would not be to everyone's taste.

"This is a cat suit, it's made of Lycra and it's supposed to have the illusion of looking a little bit like leather from a distance," said Serena. "It sticks to the body, it really sticks to what type of shape you have.

"If you don't have a decent shape this isn't the best outfit to have."

Sony Takes Axe to Betamax

What VHS couldn't do, digital did. Sony Corp's Betamax video tape recorder, which famously lost the 1980s video format war but held on for decades as a niche product, will finally be laid to rest after digital formats delivered a death blow to its prospects.

Sony said on Tuesday it would only make 2,000 more Betamax machines before discontinuing the product altogether, ending its 27-year history -- spent mostly in the shadow of the Matsushita group's rival VHS format.

"With digital machines and other new recording formats taking hold in the market, demand has continued to decline and it has become difficult to secure parts," Sony said in a statement.

Betamax -- held up as an example of how the first to market is not guaranteed commercial success -- had already been pulled from overseas markets in the 1990s, a Sony spokesman said.

Production of the machine in the last business year to March totaled 2,800 units, a tiny fraction of the 2.3 million made in the peak year of 1984 and the 18 million made over its lifetime.

Sony said it would continue to offer repairs and manufacture tapes for the format, adding the move would not affect its Betacam products for the broadcasting industry.

Rapid sales growth in digital versatile disc (DVD) players and recorders has posed a threat in recent years not just to the remnants of Betamax but to the mainstream VHS videotape recorders pioneered by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co, maker of Panasonic goods, and Victor Co of Japan, a subsidiary.

In the DVD arena as well, the industry is groping for ways to set standards without risking a destructive format war.

A fragmentation of standards for DVD recorders has been blamed for delaying the take-off of that market, and a potential format war is also brewing over next-generation DVD products.

Sony, Matsushita and seven other industry giants joined hands early this year on a common format for DVD players using blue laser light, which are due out as early as next year and will vastly increase disc storage capacity.

But Toshiba Corp, a pioneer in DVD technology, said this week it aimed to offer an alternative blue-laser format it believes will be cheaper and more compatible with existing red-laser technology.

Today's New Releases

Well, they have been a long time gone, but my beloved Dixie Chicks return today with their new disc "Home." Sadly, you don't get to take any of the Chicks hoem when you pick it up, but you do get some great music!

Let's see, are there any of today's other new releases that I would call great...OH! AIMEE MANN! That one is great, but you have to really like her music, or the sound of 'Til Tuesday, to like it, so...well, actually, there are some great discs coming out today!

Take a look!

Here are the new CD releases for Tuesday, August 27th, 2002:

* ABBA The Definitive Collection (DVD) (Polydor)
* AIMEE MANN Lost In Space (Outside Music)
* ANNE MURRAY Country Croonin': 30 Timeless Country Classic (EMI)
* BBMAK Into Your Head (Hollywood)
* BEL BIV DEVOE Best Of (MCA)
* BILLY PRESTON Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* BLACK UHURU Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* BLACKHAWK Spirit Dancer (Columbia)
* BREAKING BENJAMIN Saturate (Hollywood)
* BURNING SPEAR Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* CATTLE DECAPITATION To Serve Man (Metal Blade)
* CHICAGO Chicago V (Remaster) (Rhino)
* CHICAGO Chicago VI (Remaster) (Rhino)
* COLDPLAY A Rush Of Blood To The Head (EMI)
* DIAGA Diaga (D.W. Records)
* DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN Irony Is A Dead Scene (Epitaph)
* DINAH WASHINGTON Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* DIVISION OF LAURA LEE Black City (Burning Heart)
* DIXIE CHICKS Home (Sony)
* DONOVAN The Very Best Of The Early Years (Castle Music)
* DUNCAN SHEIK Daylight (Atlantic)
* DWIGHT PINKNEY More Memories (VP)
* ED THE SOCK Unwashed Collection
* EVE Eve-Olution (Interscope)
* FASTBALL The Best Of (Hollywood)
* GINO VANNELLI Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* GORDON GANO Hitting The Ground (Cooking Vinyl/True North)
* GRANT-LEE PHILLIPS Ladies Love Oracle (Rounder)
* HOOTIE AND THE BLOWFISH TBD (Hootie & The Blowfish) (Atlantic)
* JEFFREY STEELE Somethin' In The Water (Sony Nashville)
* JENE Jene's Reign (Motown)
* JIMI HENDRIX Smash Hits (Remaster) (MCA)
* JIMMY FALLON The Bathroom Wall (DreamWorks)
* JOAN OSBORNE Womanly Hips
* JULEE CRUISE The Art Of Being A Girl (Water Music Records/Universal)
* JUNIOR KIMBROUGH You Better Run: The Essential Junior Kimbrough (Fat Possum)
* KISS Very Best Of (Mercury)
* LLOYD PRICE Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* MAGIC SLIM & THE TEARDROPS Blue Magic (Stony Plain)
* MILES HUNT The Miles Hunt Club (Eagle Rock Records/EMI Canada)
* MONTGOMERY GENTRY My Town (Columbia)
* MOONGLOWS Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* MS. JADE Girl Interrupted (Interscope)
* P.O.D. Satellite (Special Edition) (Atlantic)
* POPA CHUBBY The Good The Bad And The Chubby (Stony Plain)
* PULP FICTION OST Pulp Fiction OST (Collectors Edition) (MCA)
* QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE Songs For The Deaf (Interscope)
* RAMONES End Of The Century (Remaster) (Rhino)
* RAMONES Pleasent Dreams (Remaster) (Rhino)
* RAMONES Subterranean Jungle (Remaster) (Rhino)
* RAMONES Too Tough To Die (Remaster) (Rhino)
* RINGO STARR Ringo & His New All-Starr Band (King Biscuit Flower Hour)
* SEPULTURA Chaos (DVD Video) (Roadrunner)
* SHANGRI-LAS Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* SINGING MELODY Expressions (VP)
* STAGGERED CROSSING Last Summer When We Were Famous (Independent)
* STONE SOUR Stone Sour (Roadrunner)
* STROKE 9 Rip It Off (Universal)
* THE MUSIC Take The Long Road And Walk It (Capitol)
* THE WHO My Generation (Deluxe Edition) (MCA)
* TOBY KEITH Totally Toby (DVD/VHS) (Dreamworks Nashville)
* TONY FURTADO American Gypsy (Rounder)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Frosh 5 (MCA)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS The Angels Are Singing (Rounder)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS World 2002 (Hemisphere)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Soca 101 Volume 2 (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Dancehall 101 - Volume 3 (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Dancehall 101 - Volume 4 (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Party Time (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Snoop Dogg Presents Doggy Style Allstars (DVD) (MCA)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS The Best Of Doo Wop (Hip-O)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Pop Dreamers (Universal)
* WIDE MOUTH MASON Rained Out Parade (Domestic)
* ZAWOSE & BROOK Assembly (Real World/Narada)

Today's New Releases

Well, the titles that we were all waiting for last week in Canada have been delayed. But until when? When we we get to see the SPECIAL EDITIONS of PULP FICTION and JACKIE BROWN?!?! Today? Next week!??

I have no answer for you. And unfortunately, one of the titles that MIGHT see the light of day today, the SPECIAL EDITION of RESERVOIR DOGS, could be delayed as well.

So, what you see here is a slew of titles that are SUPPOSED to come out today, that is unless situations occur that prevents them from arriving (meaning some idiot screwed up and we are forced to suffer due to their moronic nature).

So good luck! And if the title that you are looking for is in stores and available, well then count yourself lucky!

Here are the new DVD and video titles "scheduled" for release today, Tuesday, August 27th, 2002:

UP FIRST, THE MAJOR TITLES

The Rookie- A great movie about a High school baseball coach who tries to be a big league player. (Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez)

High Crimes- A lawyer defends her husband against military accusations. (Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman, Jim Caviezel)

The Queen Of The Damned- Lestat returns as a rock star and women obsess over him in what may be one of 2002 worst movies. (Aaliyah, Vincent Perez, Lena Olin)

Crush- Three English women meet and swap sex stories. (Andie MacDowell, Imelda Staunton, Anna Chancellor)

Dahmer- The true story of the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. (Jeremy Renner, Artel Kayaru, Matt Newton)

Farscape: Season 2, Volume 1- The second volume of the second season of the TV series. (Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Virginia Hey)

The Sopranos: The Complete Third Season- The complete third season of The Sopranos. (James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco)

Strictly Sinatra- A lounge singer is brought into the world of the mob. (Ian Hart, Kelly Macdonald, Brian Cox)

Reservoir Dogs: Special Edition- The Tarantino flick that started it all is available in five different packages. Keep in mind, the one that will be the hardest to find is the one featuring Mr. Brown. (Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Michael Madsen)

AND THEN THERE IS ALL THE REST

The Alfred Nobel Story (B&W)
Amazons
Anaconda (Superbit)
Anywhere But Here
Are You Being Served: Classic Years Vol
Barney: Round And Round We Go
The Believers
Best Laid Plans (Special Edition)
Beyond Suspicion
Big (Full Screen)
Big Trouble In Little China
Born To Lose
The Bourne Identity
A Bucket Of Blood
A Bullet For Sandoval
Capone's Boys
Castle Freak
Cat People (Widescreen)
Christina's House
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (Collector's Edition)
Crush
Dahmer
Dandelion Dead
Daria Movie: Is It College Yet?
Dead Hate The Living
Death Ring
Def Leppard: Hysteria
Downtown 81 (Special Edition)
Dr. Dolittle (Full Screen)
Dr. Dolittle 2 (Full Screen)
Edge Of Sanity
The Education Of Sonny Carson
The Erotic Time Machine
Erotica
Fangs Of The Living Dead
Farscape: Season 2, Volume 1
Fart: The Movie
Femalien (Ultimate Edition Unrated)
Fight Club
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
The Fog (Special Edition)
The Game
Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai
Hammer Down
Head Of The Family
Hellchild & The World Of Nick Lyon
Hercules Against The Moon Men
High Crimes
Homework
The Honeymooners 6 Box Set (Set)
The Honeymooners Vol 23
The Honeymooners Vol 24
The Horrible Doctor Bones
Horrorvision
The House Next Door
I Love Lucy: Lost Episodes
The Incubus
The Iron Chef
Jeepers Creepers
Jericho
Johnny Dangerously
Killing Zoe
Kiss Of The Dragon (Widescreen)
Kiss Of The Dragon (Full Screen)
A Knight's Tale (Superbit)
Kung Fu Zombie
Larryboy: Leggo My Eggo
Lassie's Great Adventure
Last House On The Left
Laughing Boy
Lawrence Of Arabia
The Life And Times Of Hank Greenberg
The Life Of Birds
The Limey
The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe
Little House On The Prairie
Little Odessa
Lone Ranger: Lost Episodes
A Long Time Since
Megiddo: The Omega Code 2
Miss Marple Mysteries
Mrs. Doubtfire (Widescreen)
Mrs. Doubtfire (Full Screen)
Muffy The Vampire Slayer
My Brother Tom (2-discs)
My Man Godfrey/His Girl Friday Set (Set)
Needful Things
Never Met Picasso
Office Space (Full Screen)
The Omega Code
On The Run
Peanuts: Holiday Gift Set
Prince Caspian & The Voyage Of The Dawn
Project Human Weapon
The Return Of The Living Dead
The Royal Wedding/Last Time I Saw Paris
Rumpole Of The Bailey
Schoolhouse Rock: 30th Anniversary Editi
Scratch The Surface
Shaolin Drunk Monkey
Shaolin Temple Against Lama
Sherlock Holmes And The Deadly Necklace
Silver Chair
Simply Irresistible
Slammin' Sammy
Sleepy Heads
Snuff Bottle Connection
The Sound Of Music (Full Screen)
Spongebob Squarepants: Halloween
Straightman
Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde
Strictly Sinatra
Stripped
Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm
Suicide Kings
Tales Of Terror
The Teen Wolf Collection (Set)
Three Stooges: Cops And Robbers
The Turn Of The Screw
Two Dragons Fight Against Tiger
Ulyssess S. Grant
Vampire Journals
The Vampire Vixen
Vampire's Kiss
The Warrior And The Sorceress
The Way Of The Gun
Winnie The Pooh: Spookable Pooh And Fran
Wolfhound
Wolfhound (Unrated)
Woman On Top
Wrestling With Alligators
Zulu

HE'S BACK!

New Line Cinema cinching a deal to bring TV's MacGyver to the big screen. It's likely that Richard Dean Anderson, who played the unsinkable secret agent, will be back in a cameo role, while the character is turned over to a younger actor.

HOSPITALIZED

Country music legend Johnny Cash checking into a Nashville hospital Monday after suffering an allergic reaction to either food or medicine, his manager said. His doctors don't think the problem is serious, but they may keep the 70-year-old overnight for observation.

Celebs Enlist for Fox 'Boot Camp' Special

Celebs including rapper Coolio and former pop idol Tiffany have signed on to participate in the two-hour Fox special "Celebrity Boot Camp," which will air Sept. 30.

Taped at the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base's Camp DeLuz, the special will follow the recruits as they complete mental and physical tasks.

Two former Marine Corps drill instructors will shuffle the celebs through various missions; they'll then rank the strongest players and eliminate the four weakest. Elimination continues until just two celebs are still standing.

The two finalists will compete in a series of eight competitions (called the "Gauntlet") and vie to become the winner. The top recruit is chosen by the mix of votes and "Gauntlet" victories.

Others on board include house guest Kato Kaelin; "Married...With Children's" David Faustino; surviving ex-Milli Vanilli member Fabrice Morvan; "Baywatch" babe Traci Bingham; singer Vitamin C; "Renegade" star Lorenzo Lamas; "Brady Bunch" star Barry Williams; and "Price Is Right" spokesmodel Nikki Schieler Ziering.

The special is based on the reality series "Boot Camp," which aired on Fox in spring 2001. It started off strong for Fox but eventually tapered off with viewers.

Guns N' Roses Taps Weezer As Opener, Band Used In Football Noise Drill

Guns N' Roses has tapped Weezer as its opening act on Monday night (August 26) at the London Arena. GN'R singer Axl Rose was impressed with Rivers Cuomo and company after catching them from the side of the stage during a festival in Tokyo earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Guns N' Roses is helping the Arkansas State football team prepare for the season. The band's music is being blasted at players to simulate crowd noise so the team can use hand signals to communicate instead of communicating verbally. The team was scheduled to play Virginia Tech on Sunday (August 25).

In other Weezer news, the live EP The Lion And The Witch, recorded during the band's recent 2002 World Cup Tour, is due out at select independent record stores on September 24.

Brian Wilson Guest Stars On Richard Ashcroft's 'Human Conditions'

Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson guest stars on the second solo album from ex-Verve singer Richard Ashcroft, Human Conditions, due October 22 on Virgin Records.

The new album follows Ashcroft's 2000 solo bow, Alone With Everybody, and features 10 new songs, with Wilson singing harmony vocals on "Nature Is The Law." The first single in the U.K. will be "Check The Meaning," out on October 7, but no U.S. single had announced at press time.

Musicians on the album include former Verve drummer Pete Salisbury, who played with Ashcroft on Alone With Everybody; keyboardist Chuck Leavell, a veteran of tour and session work with the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, the Allman Brothers Band, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, and his own band, Sea Level; and Mercury Music Prize winner Talvin Singh on tablas. Ashcroft co-produced the album with Chris Potter, and Will Malone handled the string arrangements.

The tracklisting for Richard Ashcroft's Human Conditions is: "Check The Meaning," "Buy It In Bottles," "Bright Lights," "Paradise," "God In The Numbers,""Science Of Silence," "Man On A Mission," "Running Away," "Lord I've Been Trying," and "Nature Is The Law."

Prince To Release First Live Album

Prince will release his first-ever compilation of live material in the upcoming boxed set titled One Night Alone. The singer made the announcement via his NPG Music Club website, where members can download exclusive musical content from the "Purple One" to their computers.

This new collection features songs all recorded during the artist's critically acclaimed One Night Alone tour, which visited several cities in the U.S. and Canada earlier this year. For the outing, Prince and the New Power Generation hit the stage each night with no pre-determined set list, and without the fanfare of large stage production elements. The results of this approach gave fans simply the man and his music, which is captured on the One Night Alone set.

While all the tracks appearing on the release have not been announced, we do know that One Night Alone will contain the songs "Adore," "When You Were Mine," "The Everlasting Now," "The Beautiful Ones," "Condition Of The Heart," "Strange Relationship," "Anna Stesia," "Diamonds And Pearls," "Xenophobia," "Take Me With U," "Raspberry Beret," "Joy In Repetition," "Alphabet Street," "Nothing Compares 2 U," "I Wanna B Your Lover," and "Rainbow Children." The exact release date had not been announced as of press time.

Santana Films New Video With Michelle Branch In Chicago

Carlos Santana shot a video for his upcoming album Shaman on Thursday and Friday (August 22 and 23). The clip for the song "Game Of Love" features young pop tart Michelle Branch, and was shot in Chicago, coinciding with Santana's Friday show at the Tweeter Center in nearby Tinley Park, Illinois.

Sources for both Santana and Branch were unsure whether "Game Of Love" would be the first single released from Shaman, which is due October 22.

While the guitarist has been tight-lipped about other guests on Shaman, it's known that opera tenor Placido Domingo and the Los Angeles group Ozomatli appear on the album, while Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas--who sang and co-wrote "Smooth" from Santana's 1999 collection Supernatural--told LAUNCH he did some writing for Shaman but did not expect to appear on it. Nu-metal stars P.O.D. have also done some recording for the album, but it's unknown whether that track will make the final cut.

More Summer Movies Get Set for Fall Video Release

"XXX" and "Stuart Little 2" will join a busy Sony fall video release schedule that also includes the newly announced "Men in Black II" on Nov. 26.

Fourth-quarter DVD and VHS releases already include "Spider-Man" (Nov. 1), "Mr. Deeds" (Oct. 22) and "Enough" (Oct. 8). "Panic Room" will be released on Sept. 17.

Warner Bros. recently announced an unusual Friday release date for "Scooby-Doo" on Oct. 11. (Most titles are released on Tuesdays.)

Other summer theatrical hits being released on video this fall include Paramount's "Sum of All Fears" (Oct. 29), Fox's "Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones" (Nov. 12), DreamWorks' "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" (Nov. 19) and Disney's "Lilo & Stitch" (Dec. 3). Dates for Fox's "Minority Report" and New Line's "Austin Powers in Goldmember" will be announced soon.

"MIB II," which has generated box office of about $190 million at North American theaters, will be available in a double-disc special edition DVD that will include an alternate ending. Fox will release "Ice Age" on the same date.

If you want to laugh, then Check this out!

OSCAR CONTENDERS COMING ON LIKE GANGBUSTERS

As usual, the bulk of this year's Oscar contenders will hit theaters in a frenzied three-week rush before the end of the year.

The heaviest expectations await Martin Scorsese's 18th-century epic "Gangs of New York," which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis and Cameron Diaz. Carrying a price tag well north of $100 million, Miramax postponed its original December 2001 release - supposedly out of concern that post-9/11 audiences wouldn't be receptive to its bloody depiction of New York City draft riots.

DiCaprio also headlines as Frank Abnagale, a real-life con man who successfully impersonated a pilot, professor and other professionals, in Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me if You Can," co-starring Mr. Oscar himself, Tom Hanks, as the FBI man on Abnagale's trail.

"Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," the second episode in the trilogy with Elijah Wood and the rest of the hobbit-dwarf-elf gang, is aiming to be the first sequel to nab a Best Picture nomination since "The Godfather Part III."

And then there's the long-in-the-works version of the Broadway musical "Chicago," starring the unlikely song-and-dance trio of Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere and Renée Zellweger.

Nicole Kidman is back with "The Hours," unrecognizably de-glammed as early 20th-century author Virginia Woolf. Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Ed Harris co-star in this adaptation of Michael Cunningham's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.

Major stars' turns are anticipated from Oscar winners Jack Nicholson, as a crisis-stricken retiree in Alexander Payne's "About Schmidt;" Kevin Spacey in Alan Parker's "The Life of David Gale," as a falsely accused prof who ends up on death row; Edward Norton as a stockbroker busted for dealing drugs in Spike Lee's "The 25th Hour" - and the irrepressible Roberto Begnini as "Pinocchio."

Streep plays a magazine writer and Nicolas Cage stars as screenwriter Charlie Kaufman in "Adaptation," another mind-blowing comedy from director Spike Jonze and, well, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, the team behind the bizarre "Being John Malkovich"

That may be mild stuff next to "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," which depicts "Gong Show" host Chuck Barris' claim that he was simultaneously a CIA hit man. Sam Rockwell stars with Drew Barrymore, Julia Roberts and George Clooney, in his directorial debut.

Newly minted Oscar-winner Denzel Washington is also working behind the cameras for the first time on "The Antwone Fisher Story," directing newcomer Derek Luke as a juvenile offender turned screenwriter.

And finally, a couple of contenders for the second Oscar in the new Best Animated Picture category: Disney's big-budget "Treasure Planet" and "The Wild Thornberries," a TV spinoff from Paramount and Nickelodeon.

Here's A Report On Christina Aguilera's Next Disc

Christina Aguilera's gearing up to finally unveil "her baby."

That's how record industry insiders are referring to the singer's much-anticipated album, on which she's staking her transition from pop princess to artist-in-command.

The first single, "Dirrty," featuring hip-hop star Redman, will show up next month along with a "Dirrty" video directed by Paul Hunter. The song's described as having a very urban feel.

The yet-untitled RCA album now has an Oct. 29 release date -- and you can be sure the firecracker talent will be making the talk and music show rounds, in addition to getting cover girl treatment. Christina wrote and co-produced much of the album (which was originally anticipated in June), working with the very hot producer Rockwilder.

Has It?

Has the world really changed since last September?

Almanac Predicts Snowy Winter

If last winter's mild weather kept your snow shovel buried beneath beach towels and tanning butter, the Farmers' Almanac recommends dusting it off this fall.

We can expect heavy snow and colder-than-normal temperatures, according to this year's edition.

"We are predicting a rough winter, with severe weather patterns that gradually shift eastward as the winter progresses," writes Caleb Weatherbee, the pseudonym used by the almanac's forecaster.

The 186-year-old almanac, which goes on sale Tuesday, made similar prognostications last winter. Those predictions, based on a secret model known to only two people that takes into account sunspot activity, planet position, and effects of the moon, were mostly wrong.

It forecast several feet of snow last year for New England, but the region had warmer-than-normal temperatures — the toastiest winter ever recorded in Portland, Maine, and Burlington, Vt. — and a dearth of snow.

Perhaps the editors can be forgiven: Between La Ninas and El Ninos, and talk of climatic change, there has been some weird weather, including droughts in the United States and flooding in Europe.

The winter forecasts, which date back to Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac in the mid-1700s, have become a signpost of Americana. Fretting about their accuracy seems almost beside the point.

Editors insist the almanac's winter forecast has historically been accurate about 75 to 80 percent of the time, even though most meteorologists say the weather cannot be predicted so far in advance.

Such judgments don't seem to faze the publication's editor, who says long-range predictions fill an important niche.

When the Farmers' Almanac, not to be confused with the Old Farmer's Almanac in New Hampshire, began publishing in 1818, almanacs provided the only weather forecasts available.

Back then, the predictions were used mostly by farmers. Nowadays, they may be used more often to pick wedding dates, said editor Peter Geiger.

"I think you use different forecasts for different reasons," he said, also acknowledging: "People do judge us."

Actor Priestley Out of Hospital

Actor Jason Priestley was released Saturday from an Indianapolis hospital where he spent 12 days recovering from injuries sustained in a crash at Kentucky Speedway.

Priestley was released from Methodist Hospital late Saturday morning, hospital spokeswoman Penny Johnson said. She said she did not know where Priestley had been taken after his discharge.

The actor's doctors had said earlier in the week that he would soon be moved from the hospital to a physical rehabilitation center.

The 32-year-old former "Beverly Hills 90210" star was badly hurt Aug. 11 when his open-wheel car spun out of control at 180 mph and hit the wall nearly head-on during practice for the Infiniti Pro Series, a developmental circuit for the IRL.

The day after the crash, Priestley was moved from a Kentucky hospital to Methodist Hospital, where doctors repaired fractures on back and feet. They also operated on his injured nose and one of his eyes.

Doctors have said that Priestley is expected to make a full recovery.

The Summer Movie Season Is Over

The alien-invasion tale "Signs" climbed back to the Number 1 spot at the weekend box office with a $14.4 million haul in its fourth weekend.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Signs," $14.4 million.

2. "XXX," $13.7 million.

3. "Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams," $7.8 million.

4. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," $7.6 million.

5. "Blue Crush," $6.5 million.

6. "Serving Sara," $6.1 million.

7. "Austin Powers in Goldmember," $5.6 million.

8. "Undisputed," $4.7 million.

9. "Simone," $4.1 million.

10. "Blood Work," $2.9 million.

Hip to be Square for Reynolds

Burt Reynolds will be among the stars sitting in the centre square when the syndicated game show Hollywood Squares returns next month.

Reynolds, who appeared on the original Squares in the '60s, has signed for a two-week stint. Other centre square signings include Ellen DeGeneres and Alec Baldwin.

Whoopi Goldberg, also a former producer on the show, split in a recent Squares housecleaning. New executive producer Henry "The Fonz" Winkler has decided on a rotating series of centre square stars until a new Paul Lynde can be found.

Aerosmith Looks For Next Album

Fresh off of JUST PUSH PLAY and their greatest hits album, Aerosmith is already looking to develop their next album, which they say will be different from their usual stylings. Said bassist Tom Hamilton, "We're exploring doing a record that's sort of about our roots, and whether that's a blues record or something like that, we're really not sure. We're talking about it kind of in general terms right now. But we feel like the moment is perfect for us to go and start looking at things and doing things the way we did when we first started."

NFL, Loews Usher in Film Trailer

Relief may be on the way for moviegoers who seethe at the guy behind them who can't stop talking during the movie.

NFL Films has produced a tongue-in-cheek 75-second trailer that will run before movies on the 2,448 screens owned by Loews Cineplex Entertainment.

In the spot, a loudmouthed boor is blabbing away at the screen when two burly ushers, played by Michael Strahan of the New York Giants and Bruce Smith of the Washington Redskins, pull the disruptive patron out of his seat and frog-march him to a room in the back of the theater where a judge played by Tony Siragusa, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens, doles out the punishment. Tim Couch of the Cleveland Brown also has a role in the spot.

The trailer, which starts playing in Loews multiplexes this weekend, is the highlight of a national promotion campaign engineered by the NFL and Loews Cineplex called "Lights, Camera, Kickoff."

"The NFL has always wanted to extend its brand into entertainment areas, and this is a potentially good vehicle for the league," said John McCauley, VP of marketing for Loews Cineplex Entertainment.

The deal could work for both parties, said McCauley, as ESPN Sports polls show that NFL fans are 35% more likely to go to the movies every week than the rest of the U.S. population.

In exchange for the NFL putting up the money to produce the spot, Loews will hand out booklets at each movie showing that feature an NFL TV schedule, information about fantasy football, discounts on merchandise from the NFL Shop and an entry form for a contest to get a free screening with an NFL player.

NFL players in 15 cities with a Loews multiplex also will attend premieres of movies with children sponsored by local charities.

Wait No Longer!

Here is your first look at X-MEN 2!

Wanna better look at the 4-disc Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring - Extended DVD Version due on 11/12? Well here you go!

Don't Miss This!

It's not every day you get the opportunity to watch a video of Leonard Nimoy singing The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins.

The dogs and delights of the summer cinema

Some stars are born at the summer movies. Other stars fizzle out. Sleeper hits come from nowhere and spawn series, while sequels to blockbusters bomb and end the franchise right there. Yes, summer can be cruel.

USA TODAY's Andy Seiler navigates through some of the top winners and losers of summer 2002:

Winning couple: Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. They were already two of the most appealing young actors in movies. Now they are superstars — at least in as many Spider-Man movies as they'd care to make.

Losing couple: Anthony Hopkins and Chris Rock in Bad Company. An honest title, at least: They put these two together to keep company, and the result was bad.

Winning action star: Vin Diesel. His much-hyped XXX opened at $44.5 million, which is pretty amazing for a newly minted movie star in a film that didn't get great reviews.

Losing action star: Clint Eastwood. Blood Work was dud work up against XXX, an anemic box office performance from a veteran icon whose movies used to routinely knock 'em dead. A sequel to this one is not coming; Clint's career needs a transfusion. You can almost hear Diesel say it: "Do ya feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"

Winning marquee name: M. Night Shyamalan. And he has one of the most exotic names ever put on a marquee. His Signs shows every sign of being another Sixth Sense, despite less scintillating reviews. So that's what those crop circles were trying to tell us?

Losing marquee name: Harrison Ford. Vaz it zat bad Russian accent?

Winning spinoff: Scooby-Doo. Scooby-Doo! Who knew? Who knew this film would do such scooby-dooby business — $150 million — amazing for a badly reviewed live-action adaptation of a dopey TV cartoon that gave "primitive animation" new meaning.

Losing spinoff: The Country Bears. Who didn't know? Why on earth would a vintage American amusement-park attraction attract worldwide movie audiences? Kiddy-losers whose failure was somewhat more surprising: The Powerpuff Girls Movie and Hey Arnold! The Movie. But just because kids see them on TV doesn't mean that they'll be another Pokémon or Rugrats ...

Winning little creature: Lilo & Stitch. An obnoxious alien cracked up the kids and their parents and became one of Disney's most popular animated movies.

Losing little creature: Stuart Little 2. A cute mouse made half-decent coin, but it didn't matter because it cost indecent coin to shoot the movie in the first place. Eek!

Winning Saturday Night Live alumnus: Mike Myers as Austin Powers in Goldmember. Naysayers called the first film in the series a one-joke movie. Now that audiences have roared at three films in the series, the joke's on the naysayers.

Losing Saturday Night Live alumnus: Myers' former creative partner Dana Carvey in The Master of Disguise. It wasn't bad enough that it was the worst reviewed film of the summer, but, to add insult to injury, the studio put it out a week after Goldmember. The Man of Mystery creamed The Master of Disguise. Which was worse? The movie or the release date?

CRAPPY BUFFY MUSIC AVAILABLE SOON

A CD soundtrack of last season's much talked-about musical episode of Buffy, titled Once More With Feeling, hitting record stores next month.

THE FORCE IS STRONG IN THIS ONE

Star Wars: Episode I--The Phantom Menace winning a field-best four awards at the Fifth Annual DVD Awards, including the Viewers' Choice trophy. Citizen Kane was named Best of Show and The Godfather Collection was awarded Best Special Edition DVD.

Stolen Titian Masterpiece Found in Plastic Bag

A painting by Venetian master Titian, worth more than $7.6 million, has been found in a plastic bag seven years after it was stolen, British newspapers reported on Friday.

The "Rest on the Flight to Egypt" was snatched from Longleat House, the western England stately home of the Marquess of Bath, in 1995.

The masterpiece was recovered in London without a frame in a carrier bag by Charles Hill, a former policeman and now security adviser to the Historic Houses Association, the Guardian newspaper said.

Previous reports suggested a convicted art crook was used as a go-between. Details of the operation were not released.

One of Titian's most famous works, "Rest on the Flight to Egypt" was bought by one of the Marquess of Bath's ancestors in the 19th century.

"It has been a long and difficult process but we are all extremely pleased that the painting is finally safe," Longleat's general manager Tim Moore was quoted as saying.

"Mr Hill is the leading expert in his field and he has remained confident throughout that the picture would eventually turn up."

Britney Spears Says She Growing Up

A teen role model no more, and "not yet a woman," pop princess Britney Spears now says she no longer finds drinking, smoking and sex to be "such a big deal."

In excerpts from an interview with People magazine released on Thursday, the 20-year-old singer said she feels at ease with her more mature, less innocent image of late. And she denied that her recently announced six-month hiatus was the result of an emotional meltdown.

"The first week, I was so excited I was off that I partied every night. I drink," she told People, adding, "Everything in moderation."

"Smoking, drinking, sex -- why is it such a big deal for me? As you get to 20, you grow up, you experiment. You feel more comfortable in your own skin."

"Who cares if I've had sex?" she said. "It's nobody's business. Trust me, I'm not going to have a press conference to announce it." In 1999, Spears made a famous pledge to remain a virgin until her wedding day.

She also talked about her breakup with childhood sweetheart Justin Timberlake of the pop group 'N Sync, calling their recent split "horrible."

According to Spears, Timberlake broke up with her first, they tried to get back together, then she broke up with him, but she denied that either side had cheated on the other.

Timberlake, 21, has since been linked romantically to dancer Jenna Dewan, though Spears said she expects him to see other women.

Still, she said Timberlake was "my first real love, and I doubt I'll ever be able to love anyone like that ever again."

Spears, who heralded her own coming of age in the recent single "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman," said she needed some time off to "rejuvenate spiritually and to just play" following a hectic year.

She had been working virtually nonstop since bursting on the scene as a peaches-and-cream teen with the 1998 hit "...Baby One More Time" and grew up to become worldwide pop idol known for provocative costumes and stage performances.

Her hiatus follows a controversial end to a world tour in which she was booed by fans after cutting short her final show in Mexico City because of a torrential rain and made an obscene gesture to paparazzi photographers besieging her car.

Spears' parents recently ended their marriage, a development she describes as "the best thing that's ever happened to my family ... My mom and dad, bottom line, do not get along."

"Its A Mating Call, For Lawyers In Love"

Jackson Browne is back.

'Buffy' Rates Worst Show for Families

A parents group applauded broadcasters Wednesday for embracing more family-friendly programming in prime-time, yet scolded television's two most popular shows for being among the raciest.

Both NBC's "Friends" and CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" made the Parents Television Council list of the 10 worst shows in prime-time.

Little-watched "Doc," a Pax TV drama about a country doctor who moves to New York City, was named the best show on television by the conservative watchdog group for its "uplifting and inspirational" themes.

After years when it was considered unhip, there's been a slight movement toward more family-friendly programming in prime-time, with ABC and the WB network lately making it a priority. ABC has blamed its recent ratings trouble partly on a decision to move away from that audience.

"It definitely is a heartening development," said Melissa Caldwell, the PTC's research director.

UPN's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was rated the worst show in prime-time, with the PTC condemning it for graphic violence and sex, and an element of the occult.

The group criticized TV's most popular comedy, "Friends," for basing much of its humor on sexual references or situations. The PTC said the show, which also featured two unmarried characters having a baby this spring, was inappropriate for its 8 p.m. time slot.

Jennifer Aniston's Rachel character gave birth in the season's final episode.

"I'm not really sure why it passed without much discussion," Caldwell said. "But it's certainly not a good role model, especially considering how popular the show is with teenage viewers."

"CSI" was criticized for dealing graphically with themes of incest and sadomasochism. The show has had a meteoric rise in popularity, often besting "ER" as viewers' favorite drama.

Four WB shows — "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch," "Reba," "Smallville" and "7th Heaven" — made the PTC's list of best shows for families.

But "Gilmore Girls" — a WB show that was created specifically through funding provided by advertisers interested in family-friendly programming — was left off the list. Caldwell said her group was concerned about some of the mother's relationships in the show.

'Miss Germany' Risks Losing Crown over Nude Rules

"Miss Germany" has broken her contract and could lose her crown because she objects to beauty contest rules banning her from marrying or posing in the nude, organizers said on Thursday.

Ralf Klemmer, director of the Miss Germany Corporation that holds the annual pageant, said Berlin dental technician Katrin Wrobel canceled a contract with his firm because she said it contained "immoral clauses."

"The contract she and all the girls in the competition signed beforehand spelled it out quite clearly that marriage and nude photographs during the year are not allowed," Klemmer told Reuters.

He said the rules were quite clear and Wrobel would be stripped of her Miss Germany crown if she did not relent.

"The same rules apply to the Miss competitions all around the world," added Klemmer, whose firm has organized 42 consecutive Miss Germany contests since 1960. "It's strange that she now rejects this. But there is no way she can compete in the Miss World competition in Nigeria if this is not resolved."

"We've never had a case like this in 42 years," he said. "If she wants to relinquish the crown then the runner-up will be awarded it. There cannot be another competition this year."

Wrobel's lawyer Christian Schertz was not immediately available for comment. He was quoted in Bild newspaper on Thursday as saying Wrobel had canceled the contract "because it is filled with immoral clauses."

A tall brunette considered a long-shot to win the German competition in January, Wrobel, 24, has since landed a job as a presenter on a German television game show. She has long lived with her boyfriend, a 29-year-old electrician.

"I only took part in the contest for some quick cash," Wrobel was quoted as telling Bild. "I never thought I would have a chance of winning."

Hip-Hoppers Nelly, Eminem Beat Boss

After two weeks at No. 1, the Boss took a beating from a pair of hip-hop superstars in the latest album charts issued this week, slipping to No. 3 as St. Louis rapper Nelly reclaimed the top spot and Eminem slid in just behind him.

Nelly's "Nellyville" (Universal) scanned 183,000 copies in the week ended Aug. 18 -- a 12% drop but sufficient to top "The Eminem Show" (Interscope/Shady) at 179,000. Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising" (Columbia) sold just under 167,000 units.

Meanwhile, folk-rock singer/songwriter James Taylor crept up quietly to give the big boys a run for their money this week. "October Road" (Columbia), Taylor's first studio effort since 1997's Grammy-winning "Hourglass," bowed at No. 4, selling nearly 154,000 copies in its first frame.

And Arista's sleeper phenomenon of the year -- rocker Avril Lavigne -- continued her steady climb up the rankings, gaining four spots to land at fifth. "Let Go," the 17-year-old Canadian songwriter's debut effort, has sold almost 1.2 million copies to date.

Two other buzzy songwriters continued to gain ground this week: Norah Jones' first album, "Come Away With Me" (Blue Note), was up two spots to No. 13, and John Mayer's disc "Room for Squares" (Columbia) slipped two places to No. 21 but boosted sales by 6% to more than 47,000.

The second-highest debut of the session belonged to veteran R&B crooner Keith Sweat. His ninth album, "Rebirth" (Elektra), opened at No. 14, selling almost 58,000 discs.

The young bluegrass act Nickel Creek enjoyed an unexpectedly strong bow at No. 18 with "This Side," its second effort for respected roots-music label Sugar Hill. Despite modest promotion efforts, "Side" scanned a hefty 51,000 in its first week out -- putting the group on a trajectory to top even the sales of its far better-known labelmate Dolly Parton.

Also bowing in the top 20 were Snoop Dogg's "Doggystyle All-Stars VI" (MCA), which debuted at No. 19, and Detroit hip-hop crew Slum Village's "Trinity (Past, Present & Future)" (Capitol), which started in the 20th spot.

Next week's chart will likely be more of the same; there aren't any new contenders with the heft to rival either Nelly or Eminem. But Virginia hip-hop duo Clipse should make a strong showing with its inaugural Arista release, "Lord Willin'."

An Early Special Edition Look

Here's a look at the contents of Columbia TriStar's Spider-Man: Limited Edition boxed set (street date 11/1). In addition to the widescreen version of the DVD, you'll get an exclusive comic book, Stan Lee's Mutant's Monsters & Marvels DVD, a film cell, an art print and more.

REMEMBERING 9-11

Enrique Iglesias, Alan Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Al Green and Placido Domingo among the many artists performing in the Concert for America, a commemorative TV special set to air September 11 on NBC. The two-hour program will be hosted by NBC newsman Tom Brokaw and attended by first lady Laura Bush.

GIVE THE MAN A CIGAR?

Rumors surfacing again that former President Bill Clinton is in talks with syndication powerhouse King World and CBS about hosting a daytime talk show described as a cross between Oprah and Nightline.

But He's A Cartoon!

Is Ned Flanders a role model?

New Nirvana material this year: Novoselic

Unreleased Nirvana material may make it to store shelves sooner than expected.

Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic told Billboard.com that there is "good will" between him, ex-Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl and Kurt Cobain's widow Courtney Love, despite the continuing litigation over the band's musical legacy.

Novoselic hinted that the much-talked about unreleased Nirvana song "You Know You're Right" (recorded in 1994 just before Cobain's death) could be among the material released this year. "I can't say until the ink's dry, but it's just probably what you'd expect, what you've been hearing."

He added that Universal, Nirvana's label, have eyed a "fourth quarter" release date for the material.

Courtney Love originally blocked the release of a proposed box-set of unreleased Nirvana music, which was to come out last year as part of the 10th anniversary of the group's landmark album "Nevermind." "You Know You're Right" was supposed to be included with the package.

An MTV report in June claims Love had issued a new proposal to Novoselic and Grohl in an attempt to resolve the impasse over how to control future Nirvana releases. The litigation over the band's assets is scheduled to continue in a Washington state courtroom later this month.

Meanwhile, in another court case, Love's lawyers have asked for an extension in her battle with Universal Music in order to continue talks aimed at ending her dispute with the music label, reports Variety.

The label claims Love owes them several more records under her contract, while the songstress/actor counters that the long contract terms amount to an "indentured servitude."

BBC Nominates 100 Greatest Britons

Princess Diana is in, Prince Charles is out.

John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison are on the list of the 100 greatest Britons of all time released Wednesday, but Ringo is not.

Richard Burton made it, but Elizabeth Taylor didn't.

The British Broadcasting Corp. polled more than 30,000 people to come up with the list, in which John Lydon (better known as Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten) and Boy George mingle with Winston Churchill, Isaac Newton and Tim Berners Lee, the father of the Internet.

Stretching eligibility to all of the British Isles, the list also includes two Irish rockers, Bono of U2 and Bob Geldof.

The BBC2 television channel plans a series of programs later in the year to choose a top 10.

"I'm sure this series will arouse enthusiastic debate in offices and homes all around the country. Just from talking to people I've got a real sense of how passionately they feel about the subject and who they feel is worthy of the title of Great Briton," said Jane Root, comptroller of BBC2.

Canadian Hookers Campaign Against Hollywood

Runaway production is clearly a problem: Now even Canadian hookers, beggars and druggies are upset.

For years, Hollywood guilds have bemoaned the fact production has emigrated to Canada, which offers cheaper costs. But now shooting in downtown Vancouver has created a Canuck conundrum as street workers are demanding compensation for the business they lose thanks to filming.

The Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, which represents about 1,000 residents of the seedy Downtown Eastside, has sent a letter demanding compensation to 30 production firms. They include Club Six Prods., currently filming MGM's "Agent Cody Banks" starring Frankie Muniz and Angie Harmon.

The letter states: "Sex trade workers must be compensated for displacement they experience at your hands in the same manner you would compensate a business if you were to use their locale during operating hours. The same must hold true for homeless people you push from beneath a bridge or doorway, and drug users you move from a park."

It also wants financial compensation for all disrupted work, including panhandling; alternative accommodation for affected residents; and equal financial compensation for residents of buildings impacted by filming.

The Vancouver Sun is backing the campaign; it said in an editorial Tuesday "we see no reason why any unorthodox entrepreneur should be treated differently from other businesses when it comes to compensation."

The newspaper suggests moviemakers could donate "a reasonable sum" to charities that serve residents of the area.

However, producers claim adequate payment is already made to organizations including the Downtown Eastside Residents' Assn. for location fees, permits and liaison costs.

"Local shop owners are more than fairly compensated for their supposed loss of business, which detailed studies have shown to be more fiction than fact," said Brent Karl Clackson, a Vancouver producer.

"I would ask these people to rethink their position and not become part of the greedy, foolish and short-sighted who continue to chip away at our industry, driving up costs and making us less competitive with Hollywood."

A spokesman for the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users says it has consulted a lawyer and intends to pursue the matter in the courts.

It is also insisting that anyone interviewed or documented on film be treated respectfully and fairly and paid, "according to the rate requested by the individual subject."

Committee spokesman Chris Livingston claims he was filmed last week as part of background by a crew shooting for the Canuck TV series "Da Vinci's Inquest" but was not paid.

Chris Haddock, executive producer of "Inquest," says it is not the show's policy to film anyone without compensation, unless the person is unrecognizable and unidentifiable.

I Now Own This!

Go Ahead! Click On The Link!

This will make you laugh, cry and feel pity!

Timberlake To Make Solo Debut on MTV

First he split with Britney, now he's singing without *NSync.

MTV announced Tuesday that Justin Timberlake will make his first live solo performance at the "2002 MTV Video Music Awards." The 19th annual awards show will broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Thursday, Aug. 29th at 8 p.m. ET. "Saturday Night Live" comedian Jimmy Fallon will host the ceremony.

Timberlake will world premiere the song “Like I Love You” from his debut solo album, "Justified" . The song was co-written by Justin Timberlake and The Neptunes.

Previously announced performers at the "2002 MTV Video Music Awards" include Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Pink, The Hives, Ja Rule, Sheryl Crow, Ashanti, Eminem, The Vines, Nas, Shakira, and P.Diddy. Presenters include Brandy, James Gandolfini, Usher, Kirsten Dunst, Linkin Park, Brittany Murphy, P.O.D., Britney Spears, the final two "American Idol" contenders, Kylie Mingoue, Nelly, Avril Lavigne, Enrique Iglesias, B2K, Johnny Knoxville, Bow Wow, and the "American Idol" judges, Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, and Randy Jackson.

Get Ready for Hong Kong Phooey

You just can't keep a cartoon dog down, as Brett Ratner (the horrible director of RUSH HOUR) has signed a deal with Alcon Entertainment to develop a live action version of the classic Hanna Barbera cartoon series HONG KONG PHOOEY. If you've for some reason never seen the cartoon, it focuses on a clumsy, kung-fu fighting, detective dog that is a janitor by day. The film will focus on the origin of Phooey and a villain that wants his powers. Alcon hopes to turn it into a family franchise.

NO R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Thousands of fans signing an Internet petition denouncing the Soul Train Awards' decision to give its Lady of Soul Entertainer of the Year Award to 21-year-old R&B newcomer Ashanti. The fans say Ashanti hasn't been around long enough to deserve an award named after the legendary Aretha Franklin.

BIGGER, TRASHIER--AND IN SONG

Jerry Springer: The Opera, replete with expletives and a chorus line of dancing Klansmen, crack addicts, strippers and adulterers, selling out its daily performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and earning positive reviews. There are also rumors the production may move to London's West End.

"Hi, I'm Corey. Remember me?"

Does Corey Hart still wear his sunglasses at night? People Magazine catches up with the Can-Con mainstay in this story.

Want To Have A Kick Ass Party?

What it will cost to book Creed for your next party: $200,000. But for the bargain price of $5,000, you can have Vanilla Ice! This fascinating page from Clear Channel College Entertainment reveals how much money entertainers are requesting.

Courtney Love Trial Postponed, Talks Continue

A trial in a closely watched breach of contract case pitting rock star Courtney Love against Universal Music was postponed on Tuesday as the two sides continue talks to reach an out-of-court settlement.

Sources familiar with talks said the case is likely to be resolved, rendering a trial unlikely.

Officials for Universal Music, the world's biggest record company and a unit of Vivendi Universal, declined comment. Love's attorney, Barry Cappello, also declined comment.

The case's roots date back to December 1999 when Love, the widow of Nirvana's late bandleader Kurt Cobain, decided to stop recording for Geffen, a unit of Universal Music.

Last year, Geffen/Universal Music sued Love, seeking millions of dollars in damages for five undelivered albums. Love countersued, also in 2001, claiming she was cheated out of substantial royalties.

Universal's complaint and Love's cross-complaint will be tried together if the case goes to trial. A trial date of Sept 3 was set Tuesday.

If Love were to reach a deal, it would be the second high-profile member of a pop artist coalition challenging record industry practices to quietly settle a dispute that had thrust them into the vanguard of the activist movement.

In June, Grammy-winning trio Dixie Chicks -- also members of the Recording Artists Coalition (RAC) made up of Don Henley, Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow and several others -- settled a suit with Sony Corp's Sony Music Entertainment, 10 months after accusing their record label of "systematic thievery."

Love is also part of the group, which staged a series of fund-raising concerts on the eve of the Grammy Awards last February, but suffered a big setback last week when a state senator withdrew a controversial bill he had authored on behalf of the artists.

ANOTHER LOVE SUIT

In a separate bitter dispute in Seattle, Love is suing the remaining members of Cobain's grunge band Nirvana over ownership of the group's recordings and songs in the case worth millions of dollars in royalties.

Irish superstar Bono of the group U2 has been asked to testify for Love, while the band's former band members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic questioned Courtney's mental stability in court papers filed this year.

Love recently submitted a written settlement proposal, but Nirvana's lawyer, Kelly Corr, on Tuesday said he told Love's lawyers upon receipt of the proposal that he considered it "one-sided and unreasonable."

"Krist and Dave would like to settle this case if possible because they'd like to get the music out to fans," he said.

A hearing on a motion to dismiss Love's suit is set for Aug. 30. If denied, the case is set to go to trial Sept. 30.

Love's lawyer in that case, O. Yale Lewis, was not immediately available for comment.

Porn Star Proves He's A 'Survivor'...OF THE SEX TRADE!

CBS executives have defended the decision to cast porn actor Brian Heidik on the upcoming Thailand edition of "Survivor."

Reality series have for the most part avoided casting players who already have professional credits under their belt, lest they appear less than "real."

Heidik's credits include a stint on "Days of Our Lives," as well as guest shots on shows such as "Baywatch Nights." He most recently appeared in a number of soft-core porn movies.

According to a network statement, "CBS was aware of his past film credits, but all of our survivors ultimately have the option to decide what elements of their background they do and don't want written in their bios. Brian Heidik is certainly not the first actor to omit certain credits from his biography.

"While this is a part of his past, he is now a successful used-car salesman raising a family in the suburbs, and we feel he definitely brings something to the show."

Today's New Releases

As I told you yesterday today is the day that you have been saving money for. It is a rainy day that will see the sky open up with great news DVD's to buy. Seriously, check out yesterday's posts to get the skinny on the new PULP FICTION, JACKIE BROWN and RESERVOIR DOGS Special Editions.

Oh, baby! I am going broke today. Then there are other titles that you will love too!

And here we go! Here are the new DVD and Video releases for Tuesday, August 20th, 2002:

FIRST UP, THE BIGGIES! THE HUGE ONES! LA GRADIOSE!

WE WERE SOLDIERS- Battle at The Valley of Death during the Vietnam War. (Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Sam Elliott)

RETURN TO NEVER LAND- Wendy's kids come to learn the legend of Peter Pan. (Blayne Weaver (Voice), Corey Burton (Voice), Harriet Owen (Voice))

ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS- Two opposites work together to foil diamond heist. (Ice Cube, Mike Epps, Tommy Flanagan)

THE SWEETEST THING- A woman lacking in wooing skills tries to catch her man. (Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, Selma Blair)

JOE SOMEBODY- A man loses face in front of his daughter and fights back. (Tim Allen, Julie Bowen, James Belushi)

VAN WILDER- A perpetual college student must find ways to raise money. (Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Kal Penn)

IRIS- The true story of novelist-philosopher Iris Murdoch. (Judi Dench, Kate Winslet, Hugh Bonneville)

AND THE REST... (This is the longest list ever!)

Air Jaws 1 & 2
All About The Benjamins (Platinum Collection)
Allman Brothers: Brothers Of The Road
America Remembers 9/11: A CNN Tribute
American Pimp
Angels Over Broadway
Aria
The Awful Dr. Orloff
The Axe (Special Edition)
The Babysitter
The Barefoot Contessa
Basket Case (Special Edition)
Bear/Blue House: V.8
Beetlejuice
The Birth Of A Nation
The Bishop's Wife
Black Eyed Dog
Black Sabbath
Blair Witch 2: Book Of Shadows
The Blair Witch Experience (Set)
Bless The Child
Blood Orgy Of The She-Devils
Bob Marley, Catch A Fire
Bound
Breaking Out:alctrz Concrt
Buffy Saint-Marie: Up Where We
The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari
The Calling
Campfire Stories
Candyman: Day Of The Dead
Carmen: The Hip-Hopera
Carried Away
The Cat's Meow
Catch-22
Cave Of The Living Dead
Cecil B. Demented
Chain Reaction
The Child
Children Of The Living Dead
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chuck & Buck
Cleopatra
Clueless (Widescreen)
Copacabana
The Corpse Grinders (Special Edition)
Corridors Of Blood
Courage Under Fire
Cujo
Cult Of Fury
The Darren Aronofsky Collection
The Day The World Ended
The Dead Zone
Death Curse Of Tartu (Special Edition)
Death Wish
Dee Snider's Strangeland
Deep In The Woods
The Delta Force
Delta Force 2
Dillinger
Dirt Boy
Doomwatch
Dracula: The Dark Prince
Euroshockers
Eye Of The Needle
Fallen Arches
A Family Thing
Fatal Error
Fire & Ice
The First Step
The Fluffer
The Fluffer (Unrated)
The Fortune Cookie
Frankenstein's Daughter
Friday The 13th
Friday The 13th, Part 2
Friday The 13th, Part 3
Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter
Frogs
The General's Daughter (Widescreen)
A Gentleman's Game
Ginger Snaps
Golden Years
The Goonies
Gorky Park
The Great Train Robbery
Gremlins (Special Edition)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Gruesome Twosome (Special Edition)
Harold And Maude (Widescreen)
Haunted
Hit & Runaway
Home For The Holidays
Hometown Legend
Hopscotch
The Hotel New Hampshire
House Of Exorcism
The House Of Seven Corpses
IMAX: Wild Australia, The Edge
In The Time Of The Butterflies
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers
It's A Wonderful Life
The Item
Jackie Brown (Collector's Edition)
James Brown: Live At The House
The Jean Claude Van Damme Collection Vol (Set)
Jeff Foxworthy:totally Committ
Jesus Of Nazareth (2 Disc Collector's Edition)
Jesus: The Miracle Maker
Jim Breuer: Heavy Metal Comedy
Joan Of Arc
Kindred:The Embraced(3pk)
King Solomon's Mines
Kiss Me Deadly
Kiss: Second Coming
The Ladies Man
The Langoliers
The Learning Curve
Lilies Of The Field
The Little Vampire
The Longest Yard
The Lost World
Magic Schoolbus: Creepy Crawly Fun
The Mangler 2
Manhunter
Marathon Man
Margarita Happy Hour
Mass Destruction
The Master
The Minus Man
The Misfits
Moby Dick
Modern Warriors
Moonlight And Valentino
MTV's Real World: Exotic Vacations
MTV's Real World: New York - Complete 1s
Music For Monserrat
My Cousin Vinny
Necessary Roughness
New York Firefighters: Brotherhood Of 9/
The Next Step
Nightmare Room: Camp Nowhere
Nightmare Room: Scareful What You Wish F
The Ninth Gate (Widescreen)
Nobody's Baby
North Dallas Forty
A Nous La Liberte
Office Space (Widescreen)
One Magic Christmas
Open Your Eyes
Operation Enduring Freedom
Ordinary People
The Organization
The Permanent Midnight And Open Your Eye (Set)
Pet Sematary
Pet Shop Boys: Somewhere
Pi
Premonition
Pretty In Pink
Prince: Rave Un2 The Year
Project V.I.P.E.R.
Psychomania
Raising Arizona
The Razor's Edge
The Real Eve
Requiem For A Dream
Requiem For A Dream (Unrated)
Rest In Peace
Ronin
Rosemary's Baby
Roughing It
Rumpelstiltskin
The Running Man
Santa Claus: The Movie (Widescreen)
Santa Claus: The Movie (Full Screen)
Schizo
School Ties
Scooby Doo Meets Batman
Scooby Doo: Creepiest Capers
Scooby Doo: Spookiest Tales
Scrooged (Widescreen)
Shiner
Sleepaway Camp
Sleepaway Camp - Survival Kit (Limited Edition)
Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers
Sleepaway Camp 3: Teenage Wasteland
Slippery When Wet
Some Kind Of Wonderful
Someone Like You
Stalag 17 (Widescreen)
The Stand
Startup.com
Stephen King's Thinner
Stir Of Echoes
Surfin' Shorts
Surfing Hollow Days
Sweet Smell Of Success
Taboo
The Tangerine Bear
Three Days Of The Condor
Throw Momma From The Train
Thunderbolt And Lightfoot
Tom Jones
Tom Sawyer
True Colors
U2: Rattle And Hum (Widescreen)
Universal Soldier
The Untouchables
Urban Jungle
The Warriors
Water Logged
The Way Of The Gun And Killing Zoe Set
Wet, Wet, Wet: Playing Away
What Time Is It There?
Where The Heart Is
White Christmas
The Who - Who's Next
Who'll Stop The Rain
Wishmaster 3: Beyond The Gates Of Hell
The Wishmaster Set
The Wishmaster Set (Set)
Witchboard 3
The Witches
Woman Eater
WWF: Hollywood Hogan
WWF: King Of The Ring
Zoltan:Hound Of Dracula

GAS FROM THE PAST

Does any costly, good ever come out in August? With the $100+ million Eddie Murphy flick "The Adventures Of Pluto Nash" earning less than $3 million at the weekend box office the answer may be: no. Here's a recap of some recent late-summer flops Hollywood has foisted on us:

* "Ghosts of Mars": Aug. 24, 2001. John Carpenter's sci-fi thriller cost $28 million but scared up only $8.4 million.

* "Bubble Boy": Aug. 24, 2001. This anemic comedy - starring now-wunderkind Jake Gyllenhaal - cost $13 million but made a sickly $5 million.

* "American Outlaws": Aug. 17, 2001. Now-hot Colin Farrell wasn't when this $35 million western shot blanked, stealing only $13 million.

* "The Cell": Aug. 18, 2000. Jennifer Lopez pouted unconvincingly in this $33 million overblown music video, which captured only $18 million.

* "Dudley Do-Right": Aug. 27, 1999. Brendan Fraser 's $22 million cartoon Canadian Mountie did wrong, making only $9 million.

GOING AT IT ALONE

Backstreet Boy Nick Carter planning to release his debut album as a solo artist, Now or Never, on October 29.

LAST LAUGH?

Ana Gasteyer is exiting Saturday Night Live after six seasons, her publicist announced Monday. Gasteyer made history as the show's first pregnant performer.

ON THE MEND

A hospital spokesperson saying that Jason Priestley's condition remains unchanged, but "he is continuing to make progress in his recovery and his family remains very optimistic." The former Beverly Hills, 90210 star, injured in a race-car crash a week ago, may be released and put into physical rehab in a few days.

ULTIMATUM

Russia's space agency giving Lance Bass until Friday to come up with $20 million to pay for his planned fall trip to the international space station. The 'N Syncer is vying to become the youngest person--and first pop star--into space.

This Day's New Tunes

This list of CD's that will be in stores today is so uninteresting that I can't even bother writing anything about it.

Simply put, here are the new music releases for Tuesday, August 20, 2002:

* 4TH AVENUE No Plan B (Interscope)
* AMERIE All I Have (Columbia)
* ANCHOR Vs. Breakdance Vietnam (Razor & Tie)
* ANDY DICK Andy Dick & The Bitches Of The Century (Milan)
* ANDY STOCHANSKY Five Star Hotel (Windham Hill)
* ANGIE MARTINEZ Animal House (Elektra)
* ANTHONY B So Many Things (VP)
* ARKANGEL Dead Man Walking (Razor & Tie)
* BEENIE MAN Tropical Storm (Virgin)
* BLACK CROWES Live (V2)
* BLACK SABBATH Past Lives (Sanctuary Records)
* BLINDSIDE Silence (Elektra)
* BOOMTANG Wet (Virgin)
* BOWLING FOR SOUP Drunk Enough To Dance (Zomba)
* BOY GEORGE U Can Never B 2 Straight (Virgin)
* BRAD Welcome To Discovery Park (Redline)
* BUDDY DEFRANCO Mr. Clarinet (Remaster) (Verve)
* CAL TJADER Soul Bird: Whiffenpoof (Verve)
* CHARLY GARCIA Influencia (EMI Latin)
* CHICAGO Chicago Transit Authority (Deluxe Edition) (Rhino)
* CHICAGO Chicago II (Deluxe Edition) (Rhino)
* CHICAGO Chicago III (Deluxe Edition) (Rhino)
* CLARK FAMILY Clark Family Experience (Curb)
* CLIFFORD BROWN At Basin Street (Verve)
* CULTURE Humble African (VP)
* DEANA CARTER The Deana Carter Collection (Capitol)
* DIAMOND RIO Completely (Arista)
* ERIC ALEXANDER Summit Meeting (Milestone)
* ERNESTINE ANDERSON My Kinda Swing (Remaster) (Verve)
* FIONA Wanna Make Love (VP)
* FLIPMODE SQUAD The Rulership Movement
* FOREIGNER Double Vision (Remaster) (Rhino)
* FOREIGNER Head Games (Remaster) (Rhino)
* FRANK BLACK & THE CATHOLICS Black Letter Days (Sonic Unyon)
* FRANK BLACK & THE CATHOLICS Devil's Workshop (Sonic Unyon)
* GIORGIA Greatest Hits (Ariola)
* GLEN WASHINGTON Number One Girl (VP)
* GORDON LIGHTFOOT Shadows (Rhino)
* GORDON LIGHTFOOT Salute (Rhino)
* HEZEKIAH WALKER Family Affair II: Live At Radio City Music Hall (Zomba)
* JAMES TAYLOR October Road (Columbia)
* JIMI HENDRIX Smash Hits (Remaster) (MCA)
* JIMMY SCOTT But Beautiful (Milestone)
* KATHY MATTEA Roses (Narada)
* KAY HANLEY Cherry Marmalade (Rounder)
* KEITH SWEAT Rebirth (Elektra)
* KELLY WILLIS Easy (Ryko)
* KENNY RANKIN A Song For You (Verve)
* L.A. GUNS Waking Up Dead (Spitfire/EMI)
* LAURA BRANIGAN The Essentials (Rhino)
* LEE ANN WOMACK Something Worth Leaving Behind (MCA Nashville)
* LOUIS PRIMA The Wildest! (Blue Note)
* LOVHER To Know Her Is To Loveher (Def Jam)
* LUCIANO Sweep Over My Soul (VP)
* MICHEL PETRUCCIANI 100 Hearts (Blue Note)
* MICHEL PETRUCCIANI Live At The Village Vanguard (Blue Note)
* MONTY ALEXANDER My America (Telarc)
* MORGAN HERITAGE Protect Us Jah (VP)
* MURDERDOLLS Beyond The Valley Of Murderdolls (Roadrunner)
* NAAM BRIGADE Early In The Game (BMG)
* NAT KING COLE Live At The Sands (Blue Note)
* NATHAN WILEY Bottom Dollar (Sonic Records)
* NEKO CASE B